Thrill-seeking duo plan to do a lot more than walking on their trip to Sri Lanka

There's just no stopping them. You'd think that rowing to victory in a dragon boat race in Borneo, never mind the fact that they beat an all-male team, would be enough for anyone for at least a few years.

But Julie Amer and Chantelle Howes are at it again!

The dynamic duo from Mountain High, an organisation which arranges wild and adventurous trips for thrill-seeking individuals, are making an appeal for their next challenge.

And this one will certainly have it's highs and lows!

Called River Deep, Mountain High, the trip will take travellers white water rafting down the Kelani River before hiking through the Seven Virgins Mountains in Sri Lanka.

And that would be plenty to keep everybody going, right? Wrong. As if a typical Mountain High trip would let you be content with just rafting and hiking in the same week.

Nope. After all the paddling and stomping be prepared for a midnight ascent of Adam's Peak, canoeing on the Kalu Ganga River, mountain biking in Bentota, a trip to an elephant orphanage and a vast programme of watersports all washed down with some retail therapy in Colombo.

And what's more, all of that is packed into an energetic schedule of only five days.

The ladies have planned the trip to take place from November 3-7 and are still hoping to take a further eight people from the UAE to experience the sights of Sri Lanka.

The challenge is open to men and women with a strong sense of adventure and a good fitness level. All participants must also be fairly confident in the water for obvious reasons.

Julie said: "We are really looking forward to this adventure. I think we are still on a major high from the Sarawak Regatta but it only spurred us on to come up with more exciting and adventurous challenges.

"This one will be great because it will take us on land and into the water. It promises to be river deep and mountain high. We are looking for people who want to have some fun, see some amazing sights and meet some new faces.

"But as always, I think it's fair to say that anyone interested will have to be ready to expect the unexpected and still keep smiling throughout the trip."

One of the highlights of the trip will be the ascent up Adam's Peak — a climb of more than 2,236 metres.

Adam's Peak, according to local legend, was the world's first peak ever ascended, having been ascended by Adam — the first man.

On the summit, a rock indentation is shaped like a large human foot, and was said by early Christians to be the footprint of Adam, a belief inherited by Muslims when they assumed rule of the island.

Later, Buddhists said the indentation was the footprint of the Buddha, and Hindus said it was the footprint of Siva. Julie said: "With all these traditions finding religious reason to respect this mountain, it is not surprising that it is visited by thousands of pilgrims each week, and has been for over two thousand years."

The summit footprint is now enclosed by a shrine that is inhabited by Buddhist monks. Julie and Chantelle stormed the Tabloid newsroom and announced they were planning to take part in the Sarawak Regatta in July.

And less than two months later they arrived in the office clutching a trophy for second place having taken Borneo by storm.
In my eyes, the dynamic duo made sporting history by simply suggesting forming the first all-women UAE team to take part in the Sarawak Regatta — a dragon boat race.

But to actually get 20 willing volunteers, pull off all the training (which started at 6am), get in the dragon boat for the first time just 36 hours before the race, and beat an all-male team from Singapore, should tell you that they mean business.

This latest venture promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not to mention a lot of fun.

Julie, an adventure lifestyle consultant, is the founder of Mountain High which specialises in concept adventure challenges and worldwide mountain treks.

With a degree in sports studies from Sheffield Hallam University behind her and an insatiable passion for adventure travel, the trip promises to be a scream.

Chantelle Howes is a seasoned sportswoman with a string of sporting successes to her name.

Julie, a keen sportswoman, has already climbed every mountain I'd ever heard of and Chantelle has taken part in about a hundred competitions I have never heard of but equally, all sound very impressive.

Mountain High is renowned for its pioneering adventures which include the first all-female team from the UAE to trek to Everest Base Camp and the first female team to the summit of Mount Kinablu — the highest mountain in South East Asia at 4095 metres.

Chantelle has been in the Comrades Marathon, Ironman, Ultra Man Series, Duzi Canoe Marathon, does hang-gliding, and is a qualified aerobics/personal coach, just to name a few.

She was awarded her national colours for diving, swimming, skiing and mountain biking and somehow still finds the time to run her own swimming school.